Side-Track
Destination Unknown
"It's coming boy, don't you dare doubt that it is, and then you'll get what's coming to you! Oh, you will pay for what you did. You hear me boy, you had better get it together son, there's gonna be hell to pay!"
Jared pulled his arm away from the grasp of his old man, he awoke with a jump, hitting his head on the coffee table. He felt a bit nauseous and dizzy, he didn't remember why or how he ended up on the living room floor, again.
How many nights would he relive this same dream? When would this ride end? He didn't ask to be on this trip. He didn't choose this path - it was chosen for him. It wasn't like he bought a ticket or pass for this crap show. If he could pay someone to let him off of this crazy train, he would give his entire life's savings.
He shuttered remembering the words his daddy spewed at him, he felt the spit as it spattered on his face. He closed his eyes and ran his fingers across his forehead, poking at the lump starting to rise. He took a deep breath, and picked up the empty bottle of pills prescribed to him. As he stood, he caught his reflection in the hallway mirror, there was blood and sweat pooling across his brow. He blinked, causing the mixture to flood into the worry lines running down his forehead, the salt and blood mixed with bourbon now burned his eyes. He pulled the sleeve of his t-shirt across his face, making it worse. He blinked hard, rolling his eyes to help clear the blur. As he opened his eyes again, he noticed a shadowed figure in the doorway. He smudged his hands across his eyes again and when he looked again, it was gone.
"Yeah, a lot of good those pills did me, doc." he muttered as he made his way to the sink, throwing the bottle. Reaching across the counter, he grabbed an old rag to clean the remnants in his coffee cup from the day before.
"Figures," he grumbled as he knocked the empty milk carton off of the table. "This'll do," he smirked as he added some bourbon to the sludge he called coffee. "Who needs dairy when you've got bullet?" he scoffed.
As he began to sit at the table, he heard shuffling and a knock at the back door, followed by a swishing sound. Jared spun around too quickly, nearly falling from the dizzying motion. He noticed a silhouette pass the window and someone saying, "pay attention" He grabbed his head again, trying to override the pain by applying pressure. Pressing his palm into his left eye to get some relief.
There, on the floor was a piece of old newspaper. He picked it up and pulled it closer to his face, squinting, all he could make out were the words, "all aboard". He cleared his throat and said aloud, "all aboard, all aboard what?!" For just a moment he thought he heard a faint whistle.
He laid the paper on the table and made his way to the shower. Without undressing he turned the water on and stepped in. He put his face into the stream, and let it wash over him. "I must be going insane," he thought to himself. From the kitchen he heard a voice say, "no, not insane, just cloudy."
Jared nearly ripped the shower curtain off of the rod as he ran into the kitchen to find his mother sitting in the corner, holding the paper from the floor. "MOM? h.. h.. how, w.. what, oh my god." He fell backwards through the doorway, onto the pile of laundry he hadn't yet gotten to, breaking his fall.
His mother, who had died when Jared was a child, was standing over him, holding the paper up for him to see the date. Pressing and running her finger forcefully over the day. The day she died.
He just laid there, dripping and bleeding and crying.
By the time he gathered himself, she was gone. There was a light scent in the air. "lilacs," he whispered. Again, he heard a faint train whistle in the distance.
He called his Dr. and without much coaxing, had an appointment for more hypnotherapy that afternoon.
During the appointment, the Dr. asked Jared to replay the morning's events with him, again, and that on the count of 3, he would be fully aware of his mothers presence. Jared rolled his eyes, but complied, needing to find answers to questions that didn't even seem real. The Dr. played some music in the background to help Jared relax. "Is that a train whistle I hear, doc? Funny, I have been hearing a whistle all day, what do you suppose that means?" Before the Dr. could answer, Jared found himself in sitting on a small wicker chair in the middle of a beautiful flower garden, surrounded by a small pond.
He leaned back, closed his eyes and took in a deep breath.
The smell was intoxicating, refreshing and a bit familiar. Summer air mingled with wild flowers and the still, pooling water, bringing a vivid memory to his mind. A warm breeze blew, wafting the scent of fresh coffee and a hint of lilac. He felt a soft hand gently caress his face and come to rest on his shoulders. As he opened his eyes, he saw his mother. She was so beautiful. So young. Her auburn hair glistened in the sunlight, and he could tell her pale blue eyes were smiling without needing to see her mouth. Her face was aglow with love, and he fell into her arms like a child.
As the embrace ended, he looked up at her and said, "mom, I have missed you so much, there is so much I need to say to you. I am so sorry for hurting you, I never meant to hurt you. Please forgive me, please, I need you to know how sorry I am!" She held his face in her hands, she held him, in silence, for a long time, and then whispered in his ear.
"My sweet, sweet boy, I am so happy to have this moment, I was always happy to be your mom. It is all that I ever strived to be, you were my entire world." He felt so small and weak in her hands, yet, incredibly safe. "There was never a thing that you could do to hurt me, you were and will always be the greatest thing I ever did! I would have done anything to protect you."
He bolted up and said forcefully, "how can you say that? I am the reason you are dead! It's all my fault. Dad was right, I will pay for what I've done!"
Before she could respond, Jared was waking up on the couch in the doctors office.
"That's it, I don't want to do this anymore, everything we do to help only seems to make it worse. Now I am talking to my dead mother! No, let me out of here!"
The Dr. took ahold of Jared's arm and gently helped him to another chair, closer to the door. "Jared, I know dredging all of this up is difficult, we knew it would be. But, we are so close to getting the answers you need to let your past go. You need to let it go Jared." Jared shook his head, and squinted. "Am I still under the hypnosis Doctor, doctor?"
Jared's eyes rolled back.
Sitting directly in front of him was a man dressed as a conductor. He stood up and turned to face Jared. As the sunlight hit his face, Jared could see he was nothing but a skeleton. "Tickets, I need to see your tickets, please." He reached toward Jared with his skinless hand.
Terrified, Jared explained, "I don't have a ticket, I never boarded a train. This is some sort of joke or a trick." Jared got up to leave his seat, but as soon as he started to stand, he felt a hard sting across his face. It burned into his cheek like embers from a fire. He turned to see where the strike came from. "you", he seethed, holding his hand to his cheek "what are you doing here?" The train seemed to speed up uncontrollably, throwing him hard against his seat.
Jared's father stood up and turned to faced him with a belt in his hand, his face was contorted with hate and anger, "I am here boy, to be sure you get the punishment you deserve." He raised his hand and hit Jared so hard his nose began to bleed. "Blood for blood, boy. I will drain you of your absolution, no more crying to mommy." He struck Jared in the back of the head, knocking him to the floor. He continued his screaming, "no more, please help me, Dr., No more of your petty begging and crying, you're weak boy, no son of mine! " As he raised his foot to crush Jared's head, the conductor leaned in, and with a wave of his hand, his father was thrown hard and pressed tightly against the adjoining wall. Everything was moving so quickly that Jared thought he might blackout.
The conductor approach Jared's father, smiling a long and foreboding smile, every one of his teeth showed. There was a bit of melody to his tone as he said, "You sir, are why I am here. All the years of hatred and pain you have caused this young boy to endure, to cover your weaknesses. The lashing out of your own short comings, set the stage for the tragedy. Brought on by your own pathetic existence. There is a vile nature, and evil maliciousness that lines your soul. That, is what brought this train here. To collect you! This boy, has lived with your shame, guilt and abuse, far too long, and it is finally time for the darkness to collect and consume the guilty. Let me tell you, we have been anxiously awaiting this day. "TICKETS PLEASE," he moaned. The conductor, reached deeply into the old man's coat pocket and pulled out a ticket. It was completely black. The old man's eyes grew larger, as he realized what was happening.
"No! he cried, you are making a grave mistake, this boy killed his mother! He is the one who needs to pay. I only gave him what he deserved. He is guilty, he ruined everything!" Jared sat in shock with his mouth wide open, he couldn't move. He watched as the conductor waved his hands, completely subduing his father. Then, effortlessly, the conductor drug his father down the aisle, until they simply dissolved. Along with every bad thought and dream he had ever experienced.
Suddenly, he heard the train's whistle. As he noticed the train's speed slowing, he felt the brush of a person walking by him slowly and stop. He turned to see his mother, she was smiling. "you are free now, my son, I covered you." She held up a bright white ticket with the words, "paid in full" written on it. She caressed his cheek one last time and she was gone.
Jared awoke to the Dr. calling his name, and snapping his fingers. "ok Jared, when I count to 3, you will open your eyes. You will begin see things as they are, and not what you were told they were. 1,2,3......."
Jared opened his eyes. He looked around the room a little dazed. He cleared his throat, collected his things and got up to leave. He turned and looked at the Dr. for what seemed like hours, collecting his thoughts, and muttered, "uh, thank you," like it was a question.
The Dr. smiled and guided Jared to the door by his arm. As he shook Jared's hand, he gave him a piece of paper. "If you ever need to find yourself again Jared, don't look back, only forward"
Jared stepped out onto the sidewalk, the sun was brighter than he remembered.
He glanced down at the paper the Dr. had given him and was surprised to see it was a train ticket.
A bright white, clean ticket that read: Destination unknown: make it count.
About the Creator
Kelli Sheckler-Amsden
Telling stories my heart needs to tell <3 life is a journey, not a competition
If you like what you read, feel free to leave a tip, I would love some feedback
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Reader insights
Outstanding
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Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Compelling and original writing
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Comments (9)
Beautifully written! What a talent ^__^
This was such a unique take on the challenge. Brilliant! I loved it!
Wow Kelli! This was beautiful and immerses the reader in the mind of the young man. I think we all can feel his struggle. I loved this and just subscribed 💕
Great ending!
Well written with a unique psychological element
Great story. Love the ending. Well done.
Brilliant & beautiful story. 💖💕
This one made my heart melt. Painful to read, but worth it!! Just AWESOME!
Oh, I loved this storyline! And that ending was beautiful, so well done :)